Mineral Resources and Basic Industries in the People’s Republic of China

First published in 1977. Mining and metallurgy have had a long history in China, and resources there have always been considered promising. More recently, in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), a remarkable industrial renaissance is underway that should gain further momentum in the years ahead. Rapid development of minerals has brought the PRC prominence not only in the area of industrialization, but also in world affairs. Chinese mineral developments, especially in petroleum, have been increasingly in the news. A very large coal industry is already in existence. The steel industry ranks fifth or sixth in the world. The PRC is also prominent in fertilizer, cement, and salt production, and its export metals are well known. The need to know about Chinese mineral developments and the intense interest in them have prompted Dr. Wang’s study. Emphasizing the world significance of Chinese minerals, he reviews the history of growth in the PRC’ s mineral industry and its present supply position; evaluates policy considerations and regional technical factors affecting mineral development; and assesses the PRC’s mineral trade and its efforts to obtain equipment, supplies, and new technology.